Lindsay Lingle
I grew up in the retail world, learning early on the importance of meeting customers’ needs. I remember my dad telling me a story about my grandpa who was a long-time entrepreneur, he said that the roots of running a successful business are the following, “create a great product, charge a fair price and service the hell out of the customer.” Read more>>
Annette Findling
I started my practice in 1992. It was a time where there were very FEW female financial advisors, but I knew it was a great opportunity. Getting started was tough…alot of nights and weekends full of networking trying to meet people and build a business. About four years into my career, an older advisor named Joe, who was old enough to be my dad at the time, approached me to be his successor and buy his book of business. Read more>>
Pete, Joseph CR Vourteque, Bill Holland
Calliope Presents first began as Calliope Festival in 2015 when Joe Rovner pitched a multi-day neo-vintage event to a long time associate and friend Pete Augusta. Both come from a long history of nightclub entertainment work, and they wanted to take things to the next level. Joe was a seasoned stage performer and touring DJ, while Augusta was a professional marketing guru, and also a club DJ. Read mroe>>
Mark Segal
Mark Segal is an architectural and aerial photographer who grew up in Washington DC and moved to Chicago in 1984 to pursue his specialty in panoramic photography for the advertising & corporate markets. SkyPan Intl began operating in 1988 producing aerial 360 panoramic photography using fullscale helicopters in order to create dramatic cityscapes and landscapes for the photography film stock library – PanoramicImages.com Read more>>
Ashley Logan
I was a creative person working in commercial real estate, with clients that ranged from Fortune 500 businesses to local startups. The common thread between all of those businesses was that they all seemed to struggle with communicating their services. I started working with nonprofit organizations to help them with vital information, such as defining their target audiences, and writing in a voice and tone to reach them. Read more>>
Kristine Singer
When I was 16 years old I wanted to start making my own money right away. I have just always been an independent girl and always had a hard time asking anyone for anything I wanted. I figured if I wanted something, then it was up to me to get what I wanted. Read more>>
Michelle Duca
I’ve always been an animal advocate and rescuer since a young girl. I knew then that one day I would be out saving animals as a chosen path. That beginning led me to working and volunteering at local animal controls, humane societies & pet stores. In 2010 I saw a growing need in Lake and Porter County that wasn’t being addressed. Read more>>
Sydney Walters
I’ve always had jobs and hobbies revolving around children and art. Those are probably my biggest passions. In college I was interested in Fashion and Photography. When I started studying Fashion Design, I was the only one of my class designing kids clothes. Most students were working on a couture fashion line and I felt a little outcast, designing children’s clothes, because I didn’t even have children or know that much about children’s fashion. Read more>>
Thea Polancic
I started as most people do – with a graduate degree in Russian Art! Well, maybe most people don’t, but I did actually begin my professional career as a graduate student in Russian Culture. I spent the second half of the 90s in Moscow and St. Petersburg, writing my dissertation… Read more>>
Laurie Pawli
From the moment that I learned about Feng Shui, I was hooked! There was a PBS television Special on Feng Shui that was so fascinating, I watched it from beginning to end….twice! As I listened and watched, the thought kept going through my head, “This is who I am!” Read more>>
Susan Lape
It’s hard to think of a time before music was important in my life. I grew up in Lake Bluff, and every summer we would sit on the lawn at Ravinia which is where I fell in love with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the magic of live performance. I studied music at Stanford University and contemporary English opera at the University of Oxford. Read more>>
Vedat Karacan
My name is Vedat Karacan; I am the owner of Cozy Rugs in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. I came to the United States in 2005 to study for his MBA and learn English. My business leverages both the master’s degree in business that I earned in Chicago and the textile engineering degree I obtained in Turkey. Read more>>
Jen Ublasi
I started out working for well known retailer, Nordstrom, the minute I turned 16. Retail took me through high school and college where I formed a very good sense of working with clothing and forming strong relationships with clients. From there, I interned for a lifestyle magazine in Arizona which turned my major from fashion, into Communication and Media. Read more>>
Stephen Scott
A native of Chicago, Stephen grew up in the travel industry as his parents owned and operated a travel agency for 7 years. After studying sales and marketing at DeVry University, Stephen began his career in corporate sales at United Airlines. Read more>>
Brandon Smith
Me & my younger brother play pranks on each other. One day he decides to take a brush to my face. So the next time I caught him off-guard I took the Clippers to his head. I had to fix it & I was put on punishment & the rest is history. No it definitely wasn’t smooth at first. The struggle that I had was getting people to trust me to cut their hair.so I had to be cheaper than the competition. Read more>>
Deanna Browley
I’ve always been a people pleaser, wanted everyone to be happy even if it costed my own. In my early adult hood I attempted every major that people would suggest I do, for one of the two reasons…. I was unsure of who it is I was and I wanted to make them happy. Read more>>
Ben Chernivsky
I was an incredibly active and distracted college student – I went to 3 different colleges over a 9 year span before I finally earned a degree in Creative Writing. I wanted to do everything academically – writing, photography, science. College was incredibly rewarding, but there were just too many choices for me to make. Read more>>
Molly Heyen, Tim Heyen
After moving to downtown Chicago we nearly had it all. A great home with a view of the Sears Tower and easy access to all the city has to offer. But, one thing was missing. Tim no longer had space to work on his own car. Read more>>
Mark-Anthony Marshall
Much of my life, as a youth, was unstable. My sister and I stayed with our grandparents while our mother went through basic training in the Army. Shortly after, we reunited with our mother and was at her side through her entire Army career. Read more>>
Adam Wolf
When asked why I became a physical therapist my answer is typically because I wanted to wear gym shoes, sweat pants, and not shave everyday. Although not a joke, my reasons also include a desire to work intimately with people, to help and also and make a difference in lives. Read more>>
Brissa Hanzel
Before going to college (I have a Bachelor degree in Media Communications), I started already working in marketing and advertising agencies in Mexico in customer engagement and photography. During and after school, I continued this path. Read more>>
Hallie Belt
Equipped with an M.A. and a B.A. in English literature, I taught English Composition at Columbia College and English as a Foreign Language at Roosevelt University, The American School in Switzerland, Yokohama Hayato School in Japan, and Benito Perez Galdos bilingual elementary school in Spain. Read more>>
Candace “Cannye” Anderson-Edwards
I’ve noticed that every time I have made a big move in my industry, pressure was applied. It reminds of the making of a diamond. The more pressure the more the diamond shines. I started off in the funeral home industry as a desairologist. I became Illinois’ first certified desairologist. Read more>>
Bridget Halanski
Bridget Halanski is a licensed talent agent, representing over 100 Runway women and men in Chicago, Atlanta, MIami and LA. She books these models regularly for fashion shows, showroom and other live events around the world. Bridget started her career as a Model Booker at Irene Marie Model Management in Miami Beach. Read more>>
Tom Ruginis, Rachel Ruginis
Tom was in a PhD program at Univ of IL-Chicago studying Pharmacology in 2012. He was hoping to cure cancer but a few things got in the way. 1) Lab life is boring 2) Career outlook for a scientist is bleak (low salaries, and little respect 3) learned that cancer will not be cured anytime in his lifetime. Read more>>
Diane Highland
The Tutorium in Intensive English program was established in 1978 and has served hundreds of international students each year since then. There have been two directors in its nearly 40 year history as well as many very committed instructors and administrative staff. Read more>>
Rada Phillips
I am a native of the current marketing ecosystem and digital evolution. I started playing with AOL around 1995 and created my first Hotmail email address a couple of years later while attending Ohio State University. Because I always felt I had a lot to say, share and express, the internet became my outlet so to be influential and creative. Read more>>
Courtney Davis
I started my company in 2013, after looking for a way to afford a study abroad program in Madrid. I needed extra money to cover my living expenses and concidently I needed to find good hair extensions. After realizing that working both of my jobs would not cover my expenses for the next 3 months, I decided that I needed to start an online business, so that I could go to school but still make money without having to be confined to desk. Read more>>
Jonathan Knotek
Like any good story this started with a few friends out drinking. Since I already worked as a writer/guide/driver for the Chicago Pizza Tours, my friends and I were discussing what else might make an interesting tour over a few cocktails. Initially we discussed the idea of a craft cocktail tour. Read more>>
Amber Lacie
I have always been a literary fan. My love of books has introduced me to authors from all over the globe. In 2015 I decided to take the plunge into the author world. I published my first book in September and I have never looked back. Read more>>
Steven Mauk
Revolution Physical Therapy and Weight Loss was founded in 2012 and started as one shared office in River North Gym in the Merchandise Mart. The company was built on one simple principle: sustainable outcomes. Fast forward five years, we have expanded to nine locations throughout the Chicagoland area and published research regarding the effectiveness and sustainability of our physical therapy and weight loss model for EVERYONE. Read more>>
Jared Broach
Nightly Spirits started after a couple roommates took one too many tours in D.C., sans alcohol. After some consideration around logistics, a few spooky nights hunting for ghosts and many weekends researching local ‘spirits’; the very first tour was born in Washington D.C.. Read more>>
Doug Levin
After finishing undergrad in 2005, I worked for CareerBuilder from 2005 to 2011. I did a few different things during my time at CB (LMK if you want more depth). During my last 2 years, I was the Operations Manager for cbResume (now defunct). This was the company’s Resume Service. Read more>>
Scot W.R. Nei
Started out as a caddy for golf in Chicago. This helped put me through college as well as working at golf courses. Because of this I was able to practice and play golf in the hopes of being the next Tiger Woods.I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play golf for a living while I was teaching, managing golf courses, building golf courses until I was in a fire and lost half of my skin! Read more>>
Aviva Cohen
The road to parenthood is a very exciting time. That said, it can also present a couple with numerous challenges. On our journey to parenthood my spouse and I encountered numerous obstacles. I recall it as a lonely, sad, and somewhat isolating time. Read more>>
Teri Calandra
I was a very sick child that suffered from a plethora of allergies. One of those children that was allergic to everything both food and environmental. I would receive multiple allergy shots in each arm, and I would only get sicker and sicker. Read more>>
Torá White
It all started when I was 15 years old I got into graphic design and learned how to edit images and doing simple to extreme retouching. Then I finally decided I wanted to edit my own images so I joined year book club and ended up going to all sports games and school clubs meetings, pep fests and more. Read more>>
Allison Vannoy
I started in the beauty industry in my very early 20’s in New York. I began with Aveda, working as a part-time holiday retail support staff at the 5th Avenue location. I then joined the management team as the Front Desk Team Leader for the West Broadway and Spring Street salon and spas. Read more>>
Lauren Coburn
I graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago with my degree in interior architecture in 2000. My first design job out of school was working for the renowned Tigerman McCurry Architects firm. As their only full time designer in an office full of architects, I needed to learn very quickly how to design high end residential homes. Read more>>
Jamie Howard
COR is the result of a three-year pilot with a nutritional supplement parent company. After three years of development and successful growth, COR broke away under a new name with the same leadership team and support staff. Leveraging significant experience and knowledge gained through the pilot, COR is the improvement and re-launch of its prior model. Read more>>
Kathleen Duncan
I started out looking for an alternative to Bare Minerals Makeup. The Bare Minerals made me itch. So i started researching ingredients and formulas to make a product that will not irritate the skin. After a year or two of research and formulating and a lot of mishaps Fusion of Color Cosmetics was born. Read more>>
